Screw



ug. 23, 1949. H, L. DEWAR 2,479,730

` VSCREW Filed May 10, 1944 r., m'mglma im P sin

IN V EN TOR.

AGENT 15km/EY L. DET/VAR,

Patented Aug. 2s, 1949 SCREW Harvey L. Dewar,

Lockheed Aircraft Hollywood, Calif., assigner to v Corporation,

Burbank, Calif.

Application May 10. 1944, Serial No. 534,885 1 Claim'. (Ci. 85-47) This invention relates to securing, attaching and connecting means, and relates more particularly to screws. A general object of the invention is to provide practical, eiective self-drilling and self-tapping screws.

In installing a conventional screw it is necessary to first drill or punch an opening in the work parts for the reception of the screw, and in most instances it is also necessary to cut or tap a thread on the wall of the opening to mate with the thread of the screw. The providing of the opening and the tapping of the thread are sep arate distinct operations and are merely preliminary to the actual installation of the screw. Self-tapping screws have been introduced but they are limited to use in certain materials or classes of material, and in any case, cannot be installed without first drilling or punching openings in the work for their reception,

It is an object of the invention to provide a screw that may be easily and quickly installed without the necessity of first drilling an opening in the work part or parts, and without tapping the opening thus formed to provide a thread for cooperating with the screw thread. The preliminary time consuming operations of forming an opening in the work and then tapping the opening are completely avoided, and a single operation is all that is required for the installation of the screw of the invention. The screw provided by this invention drills its own opening in the work parts, then cuts a thread on the wall of the opening and then screws into the opening to have its thread fully and dependably mate with the thread cut in the wall of the opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self-drilling and self-tapping screw that may be installed in one operation by employing a single tool. A conventional screwdriver, or a screwdriver designed to cooperate with the particular head of the screw, is all that is required for the complete installation of the screw.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screw of the character referred to that is operable to complete the 'drilling of the opening in the work parts before commencing to tap the opening thus drilled, thereby eliminating the possibility of stripping the thread from the wall of the opening during the early stages of the tapping operation. When installing the screw in certain classes of material, the drilling lead may be small with respect to the lead of tapping, and if the drilling and tapping are simultaneously performed the tap portion of the screw may cut out or strip away the thread as quickly as it is formed.

The invention provides a screw for use ln such cases embodying a drill portion of sumcient length to fully penetrate the workpieces before the tap goes into operation so that the drilling does not impede or interfere with the tapping operation, and the tapping of the thread on the wall of the opening is performedsubsequent to the drilling.

A still further object of the invention vis to provide a self-'drilling and self-tapping screw that is simple. and inexpensive to easy and convenient to use.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form of the invention wherein reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a screw of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 2-2 on Figure 1:

Figure 3 is a bottom elevation of the screw of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a slightly modif-led form of the invention showing the drill portion forming an opening in the work parts; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the screw in its ilnal position.

The two forms of screws of the invention illustrated in the drawings are substantially the same insofar as their general or main elements are concerned and corresponding reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts of thetwo embodiments. Each screw includes a body I'Il having manufacture and a head ll at its outer end. The screw body Ill is t cylindrical in shape and its diameter and length may vary in different applications of the invention. The head Il is preferably a simple integral enlargement on the outer end of the screw body. The shape of the head H is optional or depends upon the intended use of the screw. In the drawings the screw heads H have iiat under sides for engaging the work and have rounded or convex outer surfaces. Figure 1 shows a conventional screwdriver slot I2 in the head Il while Figures 4 and 5 show the well known generally cross shaped recess I3 formed in the head I l to receive a screwdriver bit M provided with four radial wings or tangs 9.

The body of the screw is provided with a thread i5. The thread l5 may extend throughout the major portion of the elongate screw body. The character of the thread l5 depends upon the intended purpose of the screw and the nature of the material in which the screw is to be used. I have shown a continuous thread i5 extending the thread I5. The flutes .portions where they join or merge from the head II to the tap portion I6 to be subsequently described. While the thread l5 may be of a conventional V thread. I have shown a thread formed to have or leave a substantial base which constitutes the cylindrical surface of the screw body. The upper and vlower surfaces of the thread I5 may have an equal pitch as shown, it being contemplated that in some cases the pitches of the thread surfaces may be different to adapt the screw for specified uses.

In accordance with the invention, the screw is provided with a tap I6 operable to cut a thread on the wall of an opening in the material of the work part or parts P. The tap I6 preferablyl constitutes the inner or entering portion of the thread I5. The tap I6 is denned by or results from the provision of a plurality of circumferentially spaced flats or' iiutes Il ground or cut in the body of the screw and interrupting the end portion of I1 are preferably equally spaced around the screw'body I0 and their walls may extend `in generally parallel relation with the longitudinal axis of the body. Two of the flutes I1 may in effect have deepened lower with the notches 22 of the drill 20 to be subsequently described. The outer portions of the flutes I1 curve or incline outwardly to ultimately die out. I have shown four equally spaced flutes I'l, it being understood that the flutes may be varied in number. In the drawings the flutes I1 are shown formed with curved concave walls. However, it is to be understood that they may have flat walls. The equally spaced grooves or flutes I1 interrupt the end portion of the thread I5 to leave equally spaced threaded lands I8 which constitute the thread cutting portions of the self-tapping screw. As clearly illustrated in the drawings, these tapping or thread cutting lands I8 carry segments or parts I9 of the thread I5. The lands I8 and their thread parts I9 may be relatively short in a circumferential direction. The thread parts IB terminate at abrupt shoulders or corners to be effective in cutting the thread at the wall of the opening O in the parts P. The crests of the thread parts I9 are uniformly tapered toward a point in the longitudinal axis of the screw spaced beyond the entering end of the screw. This tapering of the tap thread parts I9 causes the parts to successively cut deeper into the material of the parts P until the tap I6 has finally cut a thread of full depth to mate with the thread I5 of the screw. The grooves or flutes I'I serve to clear or carry away the cuttings produced during the tapping operation. The tap I6 just described may be the same in the two illustrated embodiments of the invention.

It is a feature of the invention that the entering end of the screw body I0 is formed or shaped to constitute a drill 2U. The particular formation of the drill 20 will, of course, depend upon the intended use of the screw and the drill may be varied somewhat to adapt the screw for use in materials of different characters. In the construction illustrated the drill 20 has a point 2| dened by a cone shaped surface. Two diametrlcally opposite grooves or notches 22 of upwardly diminishing depth are formed in the drill point 2|. These notches 22 have concave walls and provide the point 2l with lipsV or cutting edges 23 and curved trailing edges or heels 24. In the particular construction illustrated, the drill point 2l has a rather narrow dead center or web edge 25. The included angle between the longitudinal axis of 'the screw and either cutting edge 23 may be varied I to suit the screw for thel drilling of dlerent classes of materials.

'rne drm zu or trie tilo'illustrated forms of the invention may be the saine. .lt is to be noted, how-` ever, tnat iii figure 1 trie thread parts ls oi the tap is extend to a point adlacent the drill Zu, while in rigtu'es 4 and 5 trie screw body lu has an elongate portion 26 separating the drill 20 from trie tap lo'. The flutes l`| extend outwardly tnrougn tins plain untnreaded portion zo and continue into tne tap lb. In botn forms of the invention trie nutes II clear or carry away the chips or drill cuttings. Where the screw is provided witn the piam unthreaded portion 26 between tne tap I6 and the drill ZU, the drill is adapted to iuily penetrate the material or parts P before the tap engages the parts. Thus it will be noted that in rigure 4 the portion 26 has a length greater or at least as great as the thickness of the parts P so that the drill ZI) may pass completely through the parts before the tap I6 comes into active engagement with the outermost part P. This allows the drilling operation to be performed under any selected pressure and at any lead, and insures the tapping of a full perfect thread in the parts P.

The screw, or at least the drilling and tapping portions of the screw may be heat treated, hardened or tempered to adapt the screw for use in the particular classes of materials into which it is to be driven. 'y

In employing the screw of Figures 1, 2 and 3 its drill 20 is engaged with the work part at the point where the screw is to `be installed. If desired, a lock washer may be arranged under the head II of the screw. The screw isrotated and forced or urged against the work part under suitable pressure as by employing a conventional screwdriver or a power driven screwdriver. This rotation is accompanied by axial pressure 'causing the drill 20 to cut or drill an opening in the ma terial in which the screw is to be driven. As-

the drilling progresses, the tap parts I9 come into cooperation with the wall of the opening being drilled. In soft or relatively soft materials such as wood, plastics, soft metals, etc., the drilling lead and tapping lead willcoincide and the tap I6 operates to cut a single continuous thread. Sufficient axial force is applied to the screw to insure that the drill advancement or lead will be as great as the lead of the tap. As the operation progresses, the thread I5 moves into the thread cut in the material by the tap I6. This engagement of the thread I5 with the tapped thread will provide for and assure uniform dril ling and tapping advancement or lead. The rotation of the screw may be continued until the head II comes against the work part, whereupon the screw may be finally tightened down. During the drilling, tapping and screw-entering operation, the cuttings or chips clear through the flutes Il and the thread I5. In the case of some relatively soft materials, the chips or cuttings may remain in the thread I5 to cause the screw to tightly bind in the material and thus provide a dependable connection or attachment.

The screw illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 is employed in the same manner. In this instance however, the drill 20 will completely penetrate the parts P before the tap I6 goes into operation. Figure 4 shows the drill 20 about to break through and leave the innermost part P, and shows the tap IS still spaced from and entirely clear of the outer part P. It will be seen that the tap It Z5 cannot begin to form a thread in the wall oi the lng O brings the thread I5 into the drilled andtapped opening. The screw may be rotated until it has advanced to the point illustrated in Figure 5 Where the head i l is stopped against the outer part P.

While in most instances the screw will be employed but a single time, there are many cases in which the screw may be installed as described above and then unscrewed or removed to permit disconnection of the parts P. Subsequent to such removal the screw may be reused or reinserted. With proper hardening or heat treating the drill 29 and the tap 'l5 are not appreciably dulled when the screw is installed in most materials.

Having described only typical forms of the invention I do not wish to be limited to the specilc details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modications that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A self-drilling and self-tapping screw comprising an elongate screw body, a head on the outer end of the body of larger diameter than the body for engaging the part in which the screw is to be installed, the head having a recess in its outer end for receiving a tool for rotating the screw, a drill point on the inner end of the body having diametrically opposite notches providing cutting edges. a plain cylindrical portion of the body of the same diameter as the maximum diameter of the drill point extending from the point toward the head a distance at least equalling the thickness of the part in which the screw is to be installed, and a screw thread on the body extending from said plain portion of the body to the head, the crest of the part of the thread adjacent said plain portion of the body tapering inwardly toward said inner end of the body Aand toward the longitudinal axis of the body so that said part of the thread forms a tap for tapping a thread in the wall of said opening to mate with the thread on the body, said plain portion of the body having longitudinal utes joining said notches and extending outwardly to interrupt and to die out in the tap portion of the thread on the body to provide edges thereon, the portion of the thread extending from said ilutes to said head being continuous and uninterrupted.

HARVEY L. DEWAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the leof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 93,824, Humphreys Aug. 17, 1869 623,614 Mueller Apr. 25, 1899 1,006,532 Casazza Oct. 24, 1911 1,041,440 Decker Oct. 15, 1912 1,202,519 Hively Oct. 24, 1916 1,288,893 Holmes Dec. 24, 1918 1,539,628 Bayer May 26, 1925 1,638,230 Alsaker Aug. 9, 192'! 2,062,550 Brown Dec. 1, 1936 2,165,011 Rosenberg July 4, 1939 2,292,195 Brown Aug. 4, 1942 v FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 159,359 Great Britain Mar. 3, 1921 Great Britain Apr. 23, 1931 

